The North west Coast Living Lab in Ageing and Dementia held a year 2 Celebration event, bringing together researchers, care providers, unpaid carers and international partners for an afternoon of sharing research and insights about building capacity in the social care workforce, and the creative ways the group continues to work on embedding research into social care. The NWC Living Lab is one of only two in the UK looking at older adults and dementia, and the only in the country involving different care providers in residential, day, and home care.
A Look Back at Progress
The event opened with a welcome session highlighting achievements from the past two years. Attendees heard how embedding researchers within social care organisations has strengthened collaboration and helped build research capacity across the region, improving approaches to dementia care.
International Collaboration in Focus
A central theme of the day was international partnership. Early sessions explored a joint Dutch/English evaluation of the Living Lab model. Later, contributions from Dutch colleagues provided a deeper look into the Limburg Living Lab in Long Term Care, underlining how shared experiences from carers and researchers in the different countries is providing unique solution-based approaches.
Throughout the afternoon, speakers presented examples of applied research making a difference on the ground. These included a study of dementia village models and work supporting transitions from hospital to community care. A case study from a care provider demonstrated how organisations are becoming more research-active, equipping staff with new skills to improve outcomes for those they support.
Celebrating Emerging Talent
A particular highlight of the event was the acknowledgement of three NIHR-funded interns who successfully completed their 12-month placements within the Living Lab. The interns Christine Torres, Samantha Bradley, and MD Moniruzzaman (pictured below) were presented with certificates in recognition of their contributions to ongoing research and their development as social care professionals.
Building the Future Workforce
Following a networking break, a panel discussion turned to the future of the social care workforce. Speakers emphasised the importance of ongoing training, collaboration and investment in research skills to meet the growing demands of an ageing population.
Professor Giebel, organiser of the event and leading academic on the Living Lab in Ageing project, said “Bringing together colleagues from across the North West Coast and the Netherlands provides unique viewpoints to strengthen the Living Lab model.
It’s also incredibly rewarding to celebrate the achievements of our interns, who have worked so hard and provide hope for the future of social care and research. By learning from one another and working across borders, we can build a more skilled, connected social care workforce and ultimately deliver better support for people affected by dementia. We are thrilled to be continuing for the next five years with the Living Lab – a core feature of the new Social Care Theme in the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast”